The present invention relates to a poultry drinking water additive which is effective in alleviating body weight loss of poultry, in particular poultry for meat production, after feed withdrawal before slaughter of the poultry, and which is effective in reducing harmful bacteria, such as of the genus Salmonella, in the intestine of poultry. The present invention also relates to a method for administering such an additive to poultry, a method for alleviating body weight loss of poultry for meat production, as well as a method for reducing harmful bacteria in the intestine of poultry for meat production or layers.
It is known that live bacteria of the genus Bacillus have effects of improving physical condition of poultry (JP-B-61-59092) and suppressing pathogenic bacteria (JP-A-9-163937). In particular, it is already known that Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (FERM BP-1096) is useful for promoting weight gain of poultry (JP-B-3-79988) and for reducing bacteria of the genus Salmonella in the intestine of poultry (Japanese Patent No. 2528055).
However, it is merely known that live bacteria of the genus Bacillus exhibit such effect when the bacteria are mixed in with powdered feed. It is not known to add the live bacteria to drinking water, much less to administer the live bacteria to poultry for meat production after feed withdrawal before slaughter.
It is also known that declining in body weight gain of poultry for meat production because of decreased feed intake due to heat stress may be prevented by administering to the poultry drinking water containing 1 to 10 weight % monosaccharides and optionally 0.1 to 1.0 weight % sodium bicarbonate (JP-A-8-214790).
When the slaughter of poultry for meat production results in contamination of the carcass with the contents of the intestine, bacteria constituting the intestinal flora of poultry may stick to the meat portion and grow during distribution, some of which may cause food poisoning. It is thus desirable to start suppressing growth of such harmful intestinal bacteria, including bacteria of the genus Salmonella, at as low level as possible while poultry are still alive. For this purpose, feed having the effect of suppressing harmful intestinal bacteria is sometimes given to poultry. On the other hand, in order to prevent contamination of poultry meat with intestinal contents upon slaughter, poultry are made to fast for about one day before slaughter by withdrawing feed (xe2x80x9cfeed withdrawalxe2x80x9d) for minimizing the amount of intestinal contents of the poultry before slaughter. However, the feed withdrawal before slaughter results in body weight loss and thus in reduction of productivity. Further, poultry for meat production eat their own feces when they are starved, which, in combination with the fasting stress, causes alteration in the balance of intestinal flora. As a result, harmful intestinal bacteria such as of the genus Salmonella tend to increase rapidly.
The xe2x80x9cfeed withdrawalxe2x80x9d is also applied to layers. For example, for remedying decrease in the number of eggs to be laid by layers, the layers are made to fast for about one week by withdrawing feed and given only drinking water during that period to cause the layers to lay more eggs. In such period, the layers molt their feathers. Accordingly, this is called a forced molting period. In the forced molting period, like poultry for meat production, layers also eat their own feces since they are starved, which, in combination with the fasting stress, causes alteration in the balance of intestinal flora. As a result, harmful intestinal bacteria such as of the genus Salmonella tend to increase rapidly, causing contamination of produced eggs with the harmful bacteria.
Consequently, it is demanded to develop a method for preventing growth of harmful intestinal bacteria in poultry while the body weight loss of the poultry after feed withdrawal before slaughter is alleviated and intestinal contents are minimized, and a method for preventing growth of harmful intestinal bacteria in layers during the forced molting period.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a poultry drinking water additive and a method for administering such additive which can alleviate body weight loss of poultry for meat production after feed withdrawal before slaughter, and which can reduce harmful bacteria, such as bacteria of the genus Salmonella, in the intestine of poultry for meat production and layers during the feed withdrawal period.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for alleviating body weight loss of poultry for meat production which realizes effective alleviation of body weight loss of poultry for meat production after feed withdrawal before slaughter.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing harmful bacteria in the intestine of poultry for meat production which realizes effective reduction of harmful bacteria such as bacteria of the genus Salmonella, in the intestine of poultry for meat production after feed withdrawal before slaughter.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for reducing harmful bacteria in the intestine of layers which realizes effective reduction of harmful bacteria, such as bacteria of the genus Salmonella, in the intestine of layers during the forced molting period.
According to the present invention, there is provided a poultry drinking water additive comprising live bacteria of the genus Bacillus and monosaccharides.
According to the present invention, there is provided use of a poultry drinking water additive comprising live bacteria of the genus Bacillus and monosaccharides for preparing a poultry drinking water mixture.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for administering the poultry drinking water additive mentioned above comprising orally administering to poultry a poultry drinking water mixture prepared by dissolving and suspending the poultry drinking water additive in poultry drinking water.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for alleviating body weight loss of poultry for meat production comprising orally administering to poultry for meat production an effective amount of a poultry drinking water mixture for at least one day immediately preceding slaughter, said effective amount being effective for alleviating body weight loss of the poultry after feed withdrawal before slaughter, said poultry drinking water mixture having been prepared by dissolving and suspending in poultry drinking water the poultry drinking water additive.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method for reducing harmful bacteria in intestine of poultry for meat production comprising orally administering to poultry for meat production an effective amount of a poultry drinking water mixture for at least one day immediately preceding slaughter, said effective amount being effective for reducing harmful bacteria in intestine of the poultry after feed withdrawal before slaughter, said poultry drinking water mixture having been prepared by dissolving and suspending in poultry drinking water the poultry drinking water additive.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a method for reducing harmful bacteria in intestine of a layer comprising orally administering to a layer an effective amount of a poultry drinking water mixture for at least one day during forced molting period of the layer, said effective amount being effective for reducing harmful bacteria in intestine of the layer during forced molting period, said poultry drinking water mixture having been prepared by dissolving and suspending in poultry drinking water the poultry drinking water additive.